Ralph & Lahni de Amicis, Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco
Limousine Tours and Wine Country: Why Guides have Become so Important Ralph & Lahni DeAmicis On a busy weekend in Napa and Sonoma there are swarms of stretched limousines, Hummers and Excursions along with vans and buses parked at the wineries or cruising up and down the road. There are so many black cars around that you would think the Mafia was having a local convention. Why have these livery cars become such a popular option for enjoying a day in wine country? There are multiple reasons. One of the big reasons is three little letters, DUI, an arrest for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol. The fines and legal fees in California are high and it’s not unusual for the bill to total over $20,000. On top of that there is the embarrassment, possible jail time, community service, and the loss of driving privileges. Of course the risk of getting into an accident while intoxicated is clearly something to be avoided. When you want to act like an adult and minimize those risks the words, ‘Let’s hire a car and driver’ should be the first thing you think, because every limousine and hired car that you see in Wine Country makes it that much safer for everybody else. The professional drivers behind those steering wheels haven’t been drinking even though their passengers probably have. Often groups of friends hire cars because they want to enjoy a day together but can’t agree on a designated driver. After all, who wants to be left out of the fun? The cost is reasonable when split among the group. Besides, you can drink alcohol in a limousine legally, but not in your own car, and some groups like to imbibe in between wineries. At another level, most visitors go wine tasting, not drinking, and this is especially true among wine shoppers. They visit Wine Country as an especially enjoyable way to fill their wine cellars. Wineries love these guests because they’re interested in what goes into making the wine, and they want to take a bunch home with them. Wineries make their money from selling wine after all. Collectors taste a lot of wine in a day so they want someone else to drive, preferably someone who knows where the good wines are, the good prices and the special wineries hidden off the beaten path. Sometimes you want a guide just for the sake of navigation. Most people live in cities and suburbs where they’re accustomed to street lights and clear signs on the corners. For all of the elegant architecture and great restaurants, Napa and Sonoma are farm country, the roads and signs are country style and GPS systems don’t work very well there. Many small wineries are on mountain roads and only marked with a street number. They can be a challenge to find, especially after a glass or two of wine. Pride Mountain Winery, which sits at the top of Spring Mountain Road, has a T-Shirt that says “I survived my drive to PrideMountain”. SpringMountain is not the most twisty, narrow, hanging off the edge road in the area, but it’s in the top ten. The problem isn’t getting up the mountain; the problem is the drive back down after the tasting, because their wines are very good. For people who want to visit the smaller wineries, an experienced guide who knows the roads is invaluable. It’s funny how often clients will ask a professional driver if they’re okay to drive back down some twisty road, and the driver will have to remind them that they, the driver, haven’t been drinking, unlike some people in the car. People also hire a driver because they have a limited amount of vacation time and it is very valuable to them. How much time do they want to waste getting lost and missing turns? Local guides also know when and where traffic jams up and how to avoid that. There is also the advantage of being dropped off and picked up at the door because it is often a long walk from the parking lot. Many wineries are built on top of their caves, but there are flatter routes that avoid all of those stairs. Driving yourself on a full day wine tour can include four or five miles of walking, in the heat and the Sun, if you last that long, and you might only visit two or three wineries. With a professional driver visiting five or six or more wineries is quite comfortable and enjoyable, for as long as you maintain your tasting endurance, with lots of water and food. The greatest thing about having a professional driver is that you can relax and not worry about drinking too much, because you’re not driving, are you? So, you can enjoy your day in wine country. Copyright 2009 Ralph & Lahni de Amicis
Ralph & Lahni de Amicis are authors of the book ‘Dream Tours of Napa and Sonoma’. They are owners of a tour service, Amicis Tours, based in downtown Sonoma and can often be found driving clients around Wine Country and introducing them to a wide variety of wineries in both Sonoma and Napa. Contact them to book a tour or purchase a book at 707-235-2648 or by email to Lahni@SpaceAndTime.com. Buy the Book at Amazon.com
To book a tour or ask questions CallLahni @ 707-235-2648 or use this form. We respond quickly. Rates: $65 to $75 per hour for car & driver + fuel charge, depending on starting point and number of days. No hidden fees.
Note: Most companies quote a base rate and then add hidden fees after you've been drinking all day. Good for billing, not for you. Our prices are up front and honest. Licensed by the California PUC TCP 23123, Commercially Insured.
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For convention & conference meeting planners we provide Top Achiever Award Trips, plus Speakers, Seminars and Team Building Programs. For more information designed for the busy meeting planner visit www.AmicisSeminars.com .
Call 707-235-2648 for Tours, Books & Seminars Copyright Ralph & Lahni de Amicis 2011 All tasting fees, hours, wine lists, etc are subject to change.
